Suspension device for trolley-wires.



E. KINDLER.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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UNITED STA1 CITENT OFFICE.

EDUARD KINDLER, OF FRIEIDENAU-BERLIN, GERMANY.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARD Ktnnnnn, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,residing at 12 liauterstrasse, Fl'iedenau-Berlin, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Suspension Devices forTrolley-Wires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention is directed to suspension devices for trolley Wires thecross section of which resembles generally a figure 8. Thecharacteristic features of the trolley Wire to which this invention isadaptable are an upper undercut portion which may be gripped by thesuspension device, and a lower portion serving as a contact surface forthe trolley wheel, shoe, or other collecting device, this lower portionbeing usually of such diameter that the flanges of a trolley wheelrunning thereon are held away from the suspension clamps.

In trolley lines for electric railways, problems are presented where thefree ends of the trolley wire must be joined, as in a splice, and wherethe free ends must be held without contact, as in circuit breakers andat the ends of the line. In these cases, the draft or lengthwise pull ofthe wire is, if anything, the greatest factor to be dealt with insuspending the wire, and an object of this invention is to provide animproved suspension device which does not surround the contact portionof the wire, and therefore one which is not subject to the shock ofcontact with the collecting device, and which will grip the wire withoutinjuring it and successfully resist the draft present at such points ofapplication, and which is applicable as well to intermediate points ofsuspension.

This invention consists in providing a rigid suspension block which hasa tapered undercut groove, and an externally tapered wedge, curved incross section to fit the inner walls of the before mentioned groove inthe rigid block and which is interiorly shaped to fit, tightly grip andunderclutch the upper portion only of the wire, when the wedge,embracing that portion of the wire is forcibly thrust into the taperedgroove in the block.

The term underclutch is used to define the embrace of the wire by thewedge in a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 9, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912. Serial No. 643,137.

manner similar'to that in which the hand would clutch an undercut pieceso that the lingers would reach below the undercut portions of bothsides but not meet underneath.

Tn the accompanying drawing, the invention is shown as applied inpractical trolley construction.

F igure 1 is a view in perspective of the rigid suspension block orhanger. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the curved wedge. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view of an 8-shaped trolley wire. Fig. f is a similar view ofa trolley wire of slightly different form known as grooved wire. Fig. 5is a view in perspective showing the application of the device formingthe subject matter of this invention to the end of an 8-shaped wire.Fig. 6 is a splice in which this device is employed. Fig. 7 is a circuitbreaker or section-insulator also employing this device, and Fig. 8 is atool for applying the suspension block to the wire.

Referring to the drawing, a suspension block indicated by the letter A,is preferably tapered downwardly to a narrow face in which the taperedundercut groove a is provided, and has a threaded hole 0 in its upperface for attachment to an insulator or other part of the suspensionsystem.

A tapered wedge B made of metal or other suitable material has a taperedouter surface closely conforming to the inner wall of the groove a inthe block A, and an inner straight surface which closely conforms to theparticular shape of the upper portion I) of the wire (see Fig. 3) thatis, that portion of the wire to which the suspension device is to beapplied. This wedge is designed to embrace this upper portion 6 so as tounderclutch it and support the wire when the wedge B is forced home inthe groove a in the block A. The Wedge B bears such a relation to thedirection of pull upon the wire that the draft upon the wire alwaystends to pull the wedge into the groove a and tighten its grip upon thewire.

Then this suspension device is applied to the wire at the points betweenits ends it is necessary to open up the wedge B somewhat to allow of itsapplication to the wire, the wedge being closed upon the wire when it issubsequently forced home in the groove a.

Various applications of the device are illustrated in the drawings. InFig.8 a tool is shown for applying the block and Wedge,

In this instance, the block A is seated against a cross piece F andanother cross piece G engages the Wedge B already entered in the groovea. The cross pieces are drawn together by bolts H to force the block andWedge together. A suitable come-along handle I is provided on the tool.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a splice in which case the blocks A areprovided With ears (Z and clamps e for securing them together and to thesuspension system.

In Fig. 7, the suspension device is shown applied to a circuit breakerand the blocks A are provided With suitable means for the attachment ofthe rods 7 of the insulated connector.

said groove and having an inner groove shaped to underolutch a portionof the Wire; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDUARD KINDLER.

Witnesses HENRY HASPER, VOLDEMAR HAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

